Soundcraft M series question

[chamelious]

Im planning on changing out the ol behringer nasty ass desk for an M8 or possible an M12. Im planning on using the mono channels direct outs to go directly to my sound cards ins. So then my question is, can i come out of my soundcard, into one of the stereo channels on the mixer and use the main XLR outs of the desk along with the main fader to controll my monitors? This would be the nicest solution. Problem is, it doesn't look like i can *unroute* the mono channels from the main bus, which might not cause a problem untill i start recording something, i.e sound source will come from two places.

 

[Adam P]

Are the direct outs pre or post fader? If they're post you can just leave the faders down.

I'd also use the monitor outputs to connect to your monitors, rather than the main outs.

 

[chamelious]

Why would you do that? Main outs wont be being used for anything else...

Edit: i just found out that the direct outs are actually switchable between pre and post fader. Should be handy...

 

[Adam P]

I'd connect the main outs to some sort of mixdown device. If you're mixing in the box, it probably won't really matter.

 

[noisedude]

Leave the faders down if you're monitoring from your DAW. But why would you do that? Wouldn't you rather arrange your monitor mix with your faders and have genuine no-latency monitoring and take all that strain back off your PC?? The only scenario in which I could imagine wanting to set up my monitor mix in software would be to get a reverb onto a vocal for using whilst tracking ... but I have a cheap outboard reverb to do that role anyway.

 

[chamelious]

Yeah i'd like to do that but i dont have the money to buy controllers. Also a mixdown device?? Whats that, any why wouldn't you just take the main outs into the monitors?

 

[noisedude]

Controllers?

Conenct the main outs to your monitors if that's what you want to do. Take your direct outs pre-fader, and switch off monitoring in your software. Use the faders to set up your monitor mix ... if you don't want to hear them, turn them faders down.

 

[chamelious]

I think everyones misunderstanding- Im going to be recording far more stuff than just the stuff going through the mixer. The mixer is for Drum Mic pre's and vocal mic pre's untill i get some better ones. i'll probably stick other stuff through it like keys and stuff for the sake of convenience. All mixing will be done in software and the main stereo out of the software will come out of the soundcard, into the mixer, then into the monitors. Im only going through the mixer for the sake of easy volume control.

 

[sdelsolray]

Im planning on changing out the ol behringer nasty ass desk for an M8 or possible an M12. Im planning on using the mono channels direct outs to go directly to my sound cards ins. So then my question is, can i come out of my soundcard, into one of the stereo channels on the mixer and use the main XLR outs of the desk along with the main fader to controll my monitors? This would be the nicest solution. Problem is, it doesn't look like i can *unroute* the mono channels from the main bus, which might not cause a problem untill i start recording something, i.e sound source will come from two places.

You can mute the mono channels. You can turn the mono track faders down. You can set up an auxiliary mix.

You'll probablaby want to monitor through the mnitor outs, not the main XLR outs.

 

[noisedude]

I think everyones misunderstanding- Im going to be recording far more stuff than just the stuff going through the mixer. The mixer is for Drum Mic pre's and vocal mic pre's untill i get some better ones. i'll probably stick other stuff through it like keys and stuff for the sake of convenience. All mixing will be done in software and the main stereo out of the software will come out of the soundcard, into the mixer, then into the monitors. Im only going through the mixer for the sake of easy volume control.

Well you could also in that case just bring your two-track return into the two-track input, and use the P/B Level knob to control your monitors volume. There is even a little 'P/B Replace Mix' switch which will cut out your faders quandary altogether.

 

[noisedude]

http://www.novahire.com.au/images/soundcraft_m12.jpg

 

[chamelious]

Still curious as to why everyone would use the monitor outs rather than the main outs???

 

[noisedude]

It doesn't make any difference if all your mixing happens ITB. You've told us that even your headphone monitor mixes are done ITB, so just pick any one of the various methods that have been suggested for getting your two-track to your monitors and cans, and get on with it. I've told you how I work, setting up the monitor mix with faders ... I would send my either my control room outs or main outs to headphone amps, and the other to monitors, but you can use the two-track return input on the desk, or even one of the four aux returns if you like ... whatever floats your boat.

The M12 is a surprisingly flexible console for its cost and size ... the pre/post-fade switch for the direct outs is a great feature as, to be fair, is the P/B Replace Mix function.

Let us know what you choose,

Nik

 

[Adam P]

Still curious as to why everyone would use the monitor outs rather than the main outs???

Because that's what they're there for, and I would use the Main outputs to go to a mixdown deck like a tape deck or something, so that I could make quick reference copies on the fly to test on other systems. But you mix in the box, so that's really not as much of a concern.

Here's another very compelling reason: The PFL send goes to the monitor outputs, not the mains, so if you're monitoring off the main outputs, you won't hear the PFL unless you use headphones. I suspected that would be the case, but just looked it up and confirmed it.

 

[chamelious]

Hmm, the PFL thing looks like im forced to use the monitor outs then. I just wanted to use the main outs purely for the XLR sockets which i prefer, the use of the main fader and because i wont be using them for anything else.

 

[Adam P]

You can probably still use the main fader. Just use the monitor volume control to set the relative volume of the monitors, and use the fader to adjust.